__________________"Then each time Fleetwood would be not so much overcome by remorse as bedazzled at having been shown the secret backlands of wealth, and how sooner or later it depended on some act of murder, seldom limited to once."

Dubai Civil Engineering awarded the over half billion dirham contract for construction of the project
October 3, 2006

Hircon International LLC, a joint venture between the leading Hiranandani group and ETA Star properties, have announced the commencement of construction work on 23 Marina, the 90 storey marvel at Dubai Marina, at a press conference held today (Tuesday, October 3, 2006) at Dubai’s Kempinski Hotel in Mall of the Emirates. Upon completion, 23 Marina will be one of the world’s tallest residential buildings.

Hircon International has awarded a contract of over half a billion dirhams to Dubai Civil Engineering (DCE) to build the iconic 90 storey tower that will offer residents a choice of superior quality two and three bedroom apartment and four bedroom duplexes deigned for an elite and luxurious lifestyle.

Abid A Junaid, Executive Director, ETA Star said: “The 23 Marina is Hircon International LLC’s grand contribution to Dubai’s vision of positioning itself as the world’s top cosmopolis acclaimed for its innovative facilities, ambitious developments and exclusive living. ETA Star is committed to ensuring the 23 Marina is built to top-quality standards, providing customers with a high value investment and an enviable residential address.”

Designed to pamper its occupants to the utmost, the landmark residential tower features three levels of spas, fitness centres, indoor and outdoor temperature-controlled swimming pools, lavish decks and optional house automation. A stunning façade, sleek finish and amenities that cater to a host of needs add considerably to the 23 Marina’s appeal.

Darshan Hiranandani, Director, Hircon International LLC said: “I foresee Dubai being the Monte Carlo of the world in a few years and our development has been designed to cater to that kind of clientele. 23 Marina will set new benchmarks in the concept of luxurious living. The concept of each duplex apartment with a private plunge pool with Jacuzzi and an internal elevator in the last 24 floors is first of its kind in Dubai. Once complete, it will stand high above the increasingly sophisticated landmarks gracing Dubai’s skyline today, adding considerably to the prestige and reputation of the Middle East’s fastest-growing city.”

Paul DeVylder, Regional Director, KEO International said, “23 Marina is a truly unique property. At 90 floors it stands among a handful of visionary structures in the world. But unlike most super tall towers that are multi-use and try to be many things within a single tube, Hircon has focused on a single residential neighborhood within the structure, capitalizing on the diversity of surrounding retail, office and hospitality available in the Dubai Marina community. This approach provides the residents with an exclusive residential address, totally private, and enhanced by the luxuries afforded through Hircon’s vision. As Dubai completes its hundreds of towers and projects in the coming years, and the dust starts to settle, 23 Marina will be one of the few classics…one of the few most sought after addresses in Dubai. ”

Nashat F. Sahawneh, Chairman, Dubai Civil Engineering (DCE) said: “We are proud and honoured at being awarded the contract to build a project of the scale and stature of 23 Marina. The piling works are nearing completion, which marks the commencement of the main structure and we are confident that our technical expertise and long experience will ensure the scheduled completion and timely delivery of the project to Hircon’s customers.”

Dubai Civil Engineering is a part of the Al Hamad Contracting Company, which is one of the leading companies engaged in the construction of residential and commercial buildings in Dubai, the Northern Emirates, Kingdom of Bahrain and Kingdom of Jordan.

The enabling (substructure) works was awarded to Swissboring Overseas Piling Corporation Ltd. who have ensured that the piling works have neared completion. Hafeez Contractor’s from Mumbai, India, were the concept architects for the project, while KEO International Consultants are the lead consultants, under the guidance of Paul De Vylder, Regional Director, who has taken the project further ahead to realize the above dream.

M/s Kulkarni Quantity Surveyors who have been associated with several landmark projects in the UAE, have been chosen to carry out the post-contract Cost Consultancy and Cost Management Services for the project. Their expertise in value engineering and success in achieving target costs on other projects were the key factors in their selection.
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About Hircon International LLC

Hircon International is the joint venture company between ETA Star Property Developers and India’s leading business group, Hiranandani Constructions, to develop the exclusive 23 Marina residential tower in Dubai Marina. 23 Marina is a 90-storey-high housing complex offering two and three bedroom apartments and duplexes, three levels of spas, fitness centres, indoor and outdoor temperature-controlled swimming pools and lavish decks.

About Hiranandanai Group

Hiranandani is a leading name in the Indian construction industry reputed for its opulent and unique residential townships in the country’s commercial capital, Mumbai, that have brought the concept of luxurious, global living to India. The group’s diverse interests span the hotels, hospitals, schools, entertainment and retail sectors. The Hiranandani group has successfully completed over a 100 million sq ft of development and has 10000 acres of ongoing developments.

About ETA Star Property Developers LLC

ETA Star Property Developers LLC is the property development arm of the ETA-Ascon Group. The company’s prime objective is to harness the growing commercial opportunity in Dubai's freehold market.
Developments over 5 million square feet of built-up area are already underway and many more are planned over the coming months. ETA Star’s portfolio currently includes prestigious commercial and residential properties such as 23 Marina, Liberty House, Goldcrest Executive, Goldcrest Views - 2, The Belvedere and The Palladium. In addition, ETA Star has launched a new division-ETA Star Hospitality which is involved in developing commercial and hospitality projects at the DMC complex, Palm Jumeirah Crescent, Port Saeed, Salahuddin Road and other prime locations in the U.A.E. ETA star is also developing major residential & info-tech parks in India & Sri Lanka.

Found these 2 pictures on flickr. You can see that ocean heights will have a bit of space since there'll be a gap between in and the marina crown tower (that yellow one). The elite residence is really going to be squeezed in there though since the podium will be attatched to both towers on either side.

My only gripe with the Marina plan is that all of the tallest towers are placed on the same 2-3 blocks. The Marina skyline would look more balanced if these were spread throughout the Marina as opposed to crammed together. Are there anymore unannounced plots in the Marina removed from this cluster that could theoretically harbor a supertall?

I think the reason all of these are close together... and you may think this sounds silly... but the reason is to save space. The growth in Dubai is amazing. I think that all of the area around it that is not developed will definately be developed in the next 30-40 years or so.... think about how over time how many more people will more there and how many more buildings will eventually need to be built. We think this is crazy now because they are building so many tall and supertall buildings at once.... but again, this will be some of the most expensive and prestigious land in the world in the years to come.. so they are thinking ahead basically and saving space now even though they don't yet need to.

I know that alot of folks don't think much of the architecture but personally I love everything about Dubai. It will be the new millenium's New York.

Oh, and about the density thing : No, these guys aren't really all that concerned with density per se but in expressing their egos. Isn't it obvious ? The people who are buying these homes/condos/apartments/whatever are almost entirely foreigners. Dubai won't be getting much more in the way of oil revenues by the time we hit 2020. I mean, who knows, maybe something will come up but it's not likely. In any case, the plan is to build another economic base and they're using the cash they have now to create a business theme park of sorts. They want to be the financial center of the Middle East and it looks like they might just succeed (assuming they haven't already)

As for the idea that it costs less to provide services to a smaller population...uh no, it doesn't work that way. One would think that anybody familiar with North American urban planning would understand the reason why too. MRI's still cost (I'm just taking a wild stab on this one but it'll make the point anyway) $5 million apiece. Sooo.....if you have that many less people to share the burden then on a per capita basis, they cost more for the average person in Dubai. It's the same reason sprawl is bad.